Authentic Italian Carbonara is a creamy, delicious dish that is based on the Cacio e Pepe recipe, with guanciale and eggs added to it. Everything is cooked up about the same time it takes for your pasta to be done. The result is just a beautiful, creamy, rich dish and a quick meal. This recipe makes a Bacon Carbonara with the use of Bacon & Parmigiano Reggiano. Guanciale or pancetta, as well as pecorino, can all be used as well.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 400 g Spaghetti - between 400 g and 454 g
- 200 g Bacon - Chopped - Can use Guanciale or Pancetta
- 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano - Can use Pecorino
- 4 Whole Eggs
- 2 tsp Crushed Black Peppercorn
Pasta Water
- 16 C Water
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
Instructions
- Pasta Water: Bring the pot of pasta water to a boil on the back burner. While it comes to a boil, Finley grates the cheese, weighing it out on a digital scale. Weigh out your pasta in a tall glass and set aside. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 13 minutes.
- Protein: Heat a large pan over medium heat to crisp the bacon. Drain out the excess grease and set aside until ready to soften the black peppercorn. The bacon can stay in the pan or be set aside to add the bacon back in later on at any stage. Meanwhile, combine Parmigiano & eggs in a bowl and mix well. Set aside until needed.
- Softened Black Peppercorn: When 5 minutes of the pasta's cook time remain, return the pan or skillet over medium heat. Add crushed black peppercorn and toast just until aromatic. Then add 1 cup of pasta water or more to ensure that all peppercorns are submerged. Keep it here until ready for the pasta. The water will soften the peppercorns and mostly evaporate.
- Starchy Sauce: Shut the heat off for the boiling pasta and grab the pasta out with tongs, carrying over some pasta water into the pan. Turn the heat off for the pan and mix very aggressively until you get a thickened sauce, about 3 minutes. Add pasta water as needed. It should be creamy, which will be thickened again by the cheese and eggs added. If the pasta is too clumpy, add more pasta water.
- Cheese & Eggs: Empty the cheese and egg sauce into the pan. Mix really well until the sauce has become thick and creamy. Serve right away, optionally with more grated cheese on top.If it is not thickening enough, return the pan to the heat briefly and keep mixing. Add extra pasta water if it's too thick. Be careful here because if you heat it up too much, the sauce will break from overcooking the eggs.
Notes
Pecorino, Guanciale, or Pancetta: If using either of these, drop the salt for the pasta water to 1/2 Tbl. You can always add more salt when tossing the pasta if needed.